TRADE IN WOOL TOPS

Chronicle (Levin), 4 January 1947, Page 8

TRADE IN WOOL TOPS

Received Fridav, 7 p.m; BRADFORD, Jan. 2. Britain intends to expand greatly her export trade, in wool tops. It is exp;ec*f)ad/'tiR^t^ 'itrst.four months ' allo ,, chtidiiS . expo r t eav^ wjl 1^ b q .pre U dom ifnanYly 'ifeailit n]ad "fo t ops. hraa eyfroiiii .Xew./^ps^ndigerossibiTd wool-..'" .AtTOhst" u.SO'Ttif^dntY of the tops to be exported from Britain in the January-Apri! period will, it is expected, be made from New Zealand wool of all types. Britain 's pre-war exports of tops ranged from 10 to 50 niillion pounds weight a vear, and it is believed that if the current rate of allocrttion is maintained Britain will exceed her pre-war exports this vear. This devel opntent represents oue of the most iiuportaut liioves yet made to restore the. flow of international commerce in combed wool, and is caleulated to have a tonie effect on the wool markets. British woollen mills are geared for a big move forward in 1947. During the war the industry 's labour force was reduced from 250,000 to 138,000. It will now return to 180,000. The mills have lately been cousuming wool faster than they have been buying it, on account of price difliculties. There is big business in wool bnying waitiag to'bq done in the coming year, howevei'i I11 the Yorksliire trade wool stocks need to be much - higher tkan. they are, and the second phase of the Dominion . wool-niatketing season is awaited with exeeptioual interest.